Log-handling apparatus



L. N. REES LOG-HANDLING APPARA'rus' Oct. 14, 1952 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed May 20, 1949 INVENTOR.

Lou/.5 N. P1555 Oct. 14, 1952 REES 2,613,831

LOG-HANDLING APPARATUS Filed May 20, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Lou/a N. P555 Patented Oct. 14, 1952 a: ApplicationMayizfl, 1949,-Serial No. 94;4s9 i2 cl ans.- (c1. 214 .147)

' "This invention'relates to log handling apparatus, and more particularly-toapparatus -forthe lifting and loading oflog-s-'- oflarge size. Specifically stated, the--invention has to do With-apparatus designed for use in logging-operations, for the lif-ting 'of-logs f-rom theground or -from "yarded piles; and placing t-hern on carsor tr-ucks fortransportation; it being the principalob fit of' t-he present invention to provide' -ameans i of the above kind-that isapplicable to the ordinary 1 UNITED PATENT 7' types ofpower shovels to adapt-themtlfor the e acor omical' and expeditious handling -oflogs--i-n 'loading opera-tions.

It-is' also an obj e'ct of the present-'invention to adapt-present day--types (if-power shovels' forthe handling of large logs by equipping-*thedipper stick irr lieu: of the=usual dipper orbucket,- with log grippingtongsand heeling plate, in a relationship and mannertha-t provides-for the pick" ing un andhandling-of'logsunder positive con- "trol.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus as-"above statedfo'r the- -handling of logs, characterized-"by"the use; at-the outer end ofthe dipper" or -boomstick; of apair-of log gripping- :tongs operable by a "double-acting air cylinder, and whichtongsare rigidly:- associated withifl ieboom"stick: so that a logyas held thereby and as engaged against the -heelin 1ate,-will be rigidly--'supportedrelative to the stickand can b o raised, "lowered" and swu'ng to various posifronf that degree of control that-isolata-inedwhere ablesuspended tongs-- are employed-in-connecti'on'with "aswing'ing-boom. 1 t

'*Still anothen objectof'the invention -is-=toypro- "tide a log loading or handling device that eliminates the requirement for ground workmen-and makes possible the picking up and loading orunloading of logs under control" of the shovel op- "erator alone.

.30 tions underpositive 'control',-'asdistinguished to; a, log.

the dipper fromthe; dipper; sti har d a ac the present, tong mechanism and! heeli;

its; entirety, and replacing it. wi th.a boom.

as part thereof;- eln either; instanc iticular' significance so v longas .theqmaghine;

"adjusting-means therefor..

,7 v2,612,831 I ANDLING'APPARATUS Fig. 2- isa. top or plan yiewaofgithe sain Fig..3ris anenlarse plan yiewro th parts for thepai-redtones. and. the

boom, stick.

i i 4, is' a,1Homeric-iens/anion,ti the} stick, showin he n iredfitqn sn p rating air; cy nder as app i d th ret.

- Fi 5 is aside viewQfithe t nssw siann Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional;.-detail taken L 1! Referring "more inadetail, to the-drawing .1 It s is the intent. :that the present 49s.. pad r g qll-ipznent bev apnli'cableato any of t Q11 mam t pe or: makes: of mower shovels and machm fcor-resp nd n p siweitherrbyrfi st em.

D. 94 to the outer end of the stick, or by removl the originaldipperstick; and its dipper onbuclcet in stick with thepresent equipment mounted, on o holding parts would comprise thesajrnezessential I elementsbut probably would be less cumbersome when applied in the form: last mentioned. The details of the power. shovel .are.o;-;no;-;-pareet he the t usual requi em ts: f r tati naand. usual boom mounted thereon equipped I N extendable sand retractable stick and -t,

In Fi s. 1 and 2. I have illus at dacem. n

form of power shovel and have designate in its'entirety by: reference charactens It m;-

prises a base structure 'l0equipped1w er t c s H and s p o tinga hor ontal ma orfi "Other' objects: of the invention reside inthe 'detailsof construction and combination of parts embodied'in the 'tongsa-nd their control devices;

:Iionms: of; which are illustrated'in the JCQOmrpanyingztdrawings; wherein: I

.. Flg;-;1-;is a. Side .61QV3;tiOnf0fa machineof: power shorehtype equipped with-log loading r neans emsbodiedcby the present invention; andgillustrating thegoperatiqnsof: loadin aloe Qntea truck.

latter mounts a cab vl inwhichth .1 v

that they co ldv b ofi r vent na teq 1.. m at: its out nd with "larg e L revolvablecz haft 1 Wha -1 d at s d s. :of th bo m, he shaft 6",: mount on which a ur tab e. His-mounted; and oh era-Ping mechanism and control: devices; 1

sated, In t pr sentd aw a; h !usual: w nding d ums nd. he; v ous con rols. .0 shovel; are not, shown-,: but tr-isx qp und tw usual mode of operati I s I Hinged to the turntable; 15111118? mam: b.

s eaves I. ver whicmlat'ter a; cable di 15 .exi n di- -i Q-i ue twa n; r-.:t. supp. an forzthehraising and lowering ofithe boo bo m-l5 h r vshown aswbe er; tb

Supported by and extending from the boom I5 is a boom stick, comprising two parallel beams, 20 and 20', as noted-in Fig. 2, contained for longitudinal adjustment in housings 2l--2l that are pivoted on the boom l5, approximately midway of its ends, on opposite end portions of a cross shaft 22. In this case, the parallel beams '2 -20' pass closely along opposite sides of the boom and each is equippedalong its under side with a rack" bar 25. The" rack bars engage, respectively, as seen in Fig. 6, with pinion gears 26 that are fixed on opposite ends of the pivot shaft 22. This shaft is rotatably mounted in the boom I5 and is adapted to be turned in. opposite directions for the extending or retractin of the stick; The means herein shownfor ,rotatingthe shaft comprises a sprocket wheel 2'! on shaft 22,

over which a chain belt 28 is extended as seen i in Fig. 1.

To adjust and support the boom stick, a cable 30 is 'attached thereto near its outer end. This cableextends over the sheave wheel H5 at the outer' end of the boom l5 and to a cable winding drum, or other suitable means, not shown, that -is mounted on the turntable. The control of the boom-stick in its inward and outward movements-is efiected in the usual manner. Also, the boom-l5 is-raised-and lowered and the turning of the turntable in opposite directions is accomplished in the usual way.

Mounted at the outer end of the boom stick is a pair'of tongs 3535. These tongs are disposed 'in laterally spacedfrelation-ship as best shown in Fig. '4, and are pivotally fixed by pivot bolts 30-36 on a horizontal cross bar 31; the latter 'b'eing-fixed to the outer end of a rectangular frame structure that in turn is fixed rigidly to the-outer end of the boom stick as an extension thereof.

Thecro'ss bar 31 is shown in Fig. 3 to be'fixed to paired beams 38-38 which,'in turn, are bolted orotherwise fixed rigidly to the outer ends of the paired beams that are comprised as a part of the boom-"stick. The tongs are disposed in upright position asnoted-inFig. 4, in a plane that is transverse to the direction of the stick and substantially perpendicular thereto. Also, 1 the paired tongs have'lower end portions 35a'that ="are'so curved' as to embrace the oppositesides of a -log received between them and-are preferably formed along the curved portions with inwardly directed spikes 40 designed to engage the held log to keep it from turning or slipping. The upper-fend portions, 35?), of the tongs extend above the'pivot bolts 36 -36 and are pivotally 'connected at their upper' ends, as at 4l'4|,- to opposite ends of a double acting air jack, designated in its entirety by numeral 45. i

" The air jack comprises a closed air cylinder 46 "reciprocally containing a piston 41' from which a-rod 48; extends. Thecylinder has a lug 4.9 at ;oneend which is-connected by a pivot bolt-4'1 'withthe upperend portion of one of'the tongs. -The-piston rod 48 likewiseconnectedby a pivot bolt 4| with the other tong. v

Operating air is admitted from'and into the opposite ends of the jack cylinder throughfiex- -ible pipes or hose 50, 50 under control of a-valve "mechanism of any suitable kind as designated at 5l. The valve is here shown to be connected by '-a conduit 52 with a'source of air under pressure, designated at54. It'is' to be understood that, through manual manipulation ofthe valve 5|, athe-t'ongs may-beopened, closed,'he1d and released as desired by the operator. -lit -is preferred 4 that automatic, quick exhaust valves be used in the lines to expedite operation. Also, it is the intent that the control valve be located in the cab, readily and easily accessible to the operator and that flexible conduits extend from the valve to the connections 50-50 as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Fixed transversely to the beams 38- 38 which support the tongs is a Heeling platef60. This extends at its ends'somewhat'beyond the supporting beams and it is set vertically edgewise, and its longitudinal under edge is upwardly arched and formed therealong with downwardly pointed teeth 0| as best shown in Fig. 4. When a log is-gripped between the tongs, its inner end is caused to engage against the heeling plate as in Fig. 1. The extending of the plate 60 to opposite sides of boom 20 permits logs that are of extra length to be angularly inclined relative to the boom and their inner end portions to be extended to a side of and beyond beam l5.

With the apparatus so constructed and applied to the boom of the power machine, its use would be as follows:

First, the power machine, designated by reference character S, is brought into such position that the logs to be handled may be easily reached. The truck or car to be loaded is also brought to position for loading, preferably by longitudinally aligning it with the turntable center. The location of the truck or carmay be close;to or it may be away from the location where thelog is to be picked up to such extent as to require a ISO-degree turn of the machine to place the log on the truck.- v If 1? The log is engaged by turning the turntable I3 to a position'to direct the booms toward or over the log. and then so manipulating the devices as to bring the boom stick into such position as to permit the paired tongs, in open position, to grasp the selected log between them. The opening and closing of the tongs is eiTected under control of the operator by manipulation of valve 5|. The place of application of the tongs to the log should be such that the weight of that portion of the log beyond the tongs would be more than the inner end portion, and the inner end portion would thereby be caused, when the log is lifted,

the log can be lifted up and clear of any obstruction and carried to position over the-truck.

13y extending or retracting the booms, the outer end of the log can beplaced on the truck exactly where desired, then upon lowering the boom stick, the "inner end can be carefully laid down. and finally released, merely by opening the tongs apart. I 'l The main advantage of the present means resides in the fact thatthe log is rigidly supported and can be swung to position under rigid control. Its pick-up and also its dispositionon a truck or car can be definitely controlled and entirely bythe operator in the cab of the shovel. v Large and small logs can be handled-with equalrcontrolland efficiency. i

' 'Having thus described my invention, jwhat I claim as new therein and desire to secure by retraction; and means-is I provided on the iturn tablefor controlling-the extension andrtraction of the boomstick alog handlingstr-ucture-rigidly 5 applied to the boom stick at its outer end, and comprising a cross bar at the outer end thereof and a transversely directed heeling plate at the inner end thereof, a pair of upright, laterally spaced tongs pivoted on the cross bar with lower ends disposed to cooperatively receive a log between them, and having upper ends extended above their pivot points, and a power device joining'the upper ends of the tongs for actuating them to closed and open positions.

2. A device as in claim 1 wherein the heeling plate is set vertically edgewise, and has an up- Wardly arched, serrated lower edge against which a log supported by the tongs can be engaged to hold it in alignment with the stick with the turning of the turntable.

LOUIS N. REES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,919,075 Rasmussen July 18, 1933 2,327,015 Carlson Aug. 17, 1943 2,418,251 Drott Apr. 1, 1947 2,448,124 Roy Aug. 31, 1948 2,498,767 Drott et al Nov. 22, 1949 

